20. Analyse the features of missionaries’ education as part of the colonial education.

(10)

1 answer

Missionaries education was a key aspect of colonial education in many regions around the world. Here are some of the features of missionaries' education as part of colonial education:

1. Religious focus: Missionaries' education had a strong emphasis on promoting the values and beliefs of the Christian faith. This included teaching students about Christianity, conducting religious ceremonies, and promoting Christian morals and ethics.

2. Western curriculum: Missionaries' education often used a curriculum that was based on Western educational practices and standards. This included subjects such as reading, writing, arithmetic, and history, as well as subjects like geography and science.

3. Language instruction: Missionaries often taught their students in the language of the missionaries, such as English, French, or Portuguese. This helped to spread these languages and facilitated communication with Europeans.

4. Cultural assimilation: Missionaries' education often aimed to assimilate indigenous populations into European culture. This could include encouraging them to adopt Western dress, manners, and customs, as well as converting them to Christianity.

5. Practical skills: Alongside academic subjects, missionaries' education often included teaching practical skills such as agriculture, carpentry, and sewing. This was seen as a way to equip students with skills that would help them integrate into colonial society.

6. Gender roles: Missionaries' education often reinforced traditional gender roles, with boys and girls being taught different subjects and expected to fulfill different roles in society. Girls were often taught skills like cooking and sewing, while boys were taught more academic subjects.

7. Social hierarchy: Missionaries' education often reinforced existing social hierarchies, with Europeans seen as superior to indigenous populations. This could result in a divide between educated elites who had access to European education and the rest of the local population.

8. Control and influence: Missionaries' education was often used as a tool to control and influence indigenous populations. By educating indigenous peoples in European ways, missionaries sought to reshape their beliefs and behaviors to align with colonial goals.

Overall, missionaries' education played a significant role in the colonial education system, shaping the beliefs, values, and skills of indigenous populations in accordance with European ideals.